


Of Camps and Broken Hearts

by LilyLisa



Category: BLACKPINK (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Camping, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Hiking, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-09-20 18:09:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9504398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyLisa/pseuds/LilyLisa
Summary: Jennie doesn’t do relationships.Lisa is a hopeless romantic.Rosé thinks those two should end up together.And Jisoo feels like it’s all her fault.But perhaps, some songs by the campfire and small tents will help them sort out their problems.





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfic out here. Because the world needs more f/f BLACKPINK fics.
> 
> Cross-posted from AFF. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Jennie wiped the sweat off her forehead and adjusted the straps of her backpack. Her legs were burning, feet covered in blisters, but she didn’t dare to stop. Lisa, the self-proclaimed master of mountain treks, said that it hurt less when you just kept on walking. So Jennie walked, or more like dragged her feet, taking tiny steps, one by one.

She really couldn’t understand why the students’ body decided to hold the integration camp in the mountains. Were they a bunch of sadists who enjoyed watching people as they gasped for air and writhed in pain? Most probably. Masochists who derived pleasure from walking up a steep hill in a thirty degrees heat? Certainly. Into which category Jennie fell? She wasn’t sure yet.

Being a sophomore meant there was no real reason for her to participate in the event. But Rosé said it would be fun and Lisa obviously had to second her. So Jennie wasn’t left with much choice, really. It was either joining them or listening to their constant whining.     

“Oi, you okay there, mate?” Rosé called out as she waited for Jennie to catch up. Her ginger hair glowed in the midday sun that peeked through the dense foliage above them.

"Don’t. Call. Me. Mate,” Jennie wheezed the words to the rhythm of her steps, glaring at her friend. “And yes, I’m fine.”

“We could take a break, you know?” Rosé suggested and fell into step beside Jennie.

Ignoring her words, Jennie tried to make out Lisa’s silhouette among the crowd of freshmen students who walked in front of them. Sure enough, she caught a glimpse of the bobbing blonde head at the very front of the group.

“How come she is so far ahead already?” Jennie licked her chapped lips, staring at their Thai friend’s tall figure in the distance.

“You mean Lisa?” Rosé chuckled. “Don’t underestimate her, mate. She may be skinny, but come zombie apocalypse or some other disaster, I guarantee you, of the four of us, she’s the only one surviving.”

Jennie snorted. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Somehow she could easily imagine Lisa using her sick breakdance moves in fights against zombies.

“How has she been doing lately?” Rosé asked after taking a gulp from her water bottle.

Jennie glanced over her shoulder at the two female graduate students who were bringing up the rear by choice.

Those were surely the sadists.

“She’s fine. Much better than she used to,” Jennie replied, remembering how excited Lisa was in the morning before they left for the camp. It had been a while since Jennie saw her grinning with such unabashed enthusiasm.

“Has she been mentioning her?” Rosé asked cautiously.

Jennie took a sip from her bottle and shook her head. “Not to me at least. Has she been talking to Jisoo?”

“Yeah, but not about her. Jisoo still feels guilty, though.”

“She shouldn’t,” Jennie stated flatly. “It’s not like she was playing a matchmaker. She just invited them to the same party.”

Rosé let out a heavy sigh. “That’s exactly what I told her. But I think she won’t feel better until she is one hundred percent sure that Lisa has moved on completely.” 

“Well, she’s here, that must mean something,” Jennie concluded calmly.

She wished to know what exactly it meant, though.            

“Can I say something crazy?”

Jennie cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t you always say something crazy?”

Unfazed by the comment, Rosé continued. “I always thought you and Lisa would end up together.”

Jennie barked a laugh. “What?” She looked at Rosé in amused disbelief, but seeing as her friend remained silent, she instantly discarded the mirthful attitude. “Wait, you aren’t joking.” Her eyebrows narrowed somberly.

“Why would I?” Rosé countered, sounding uncharacteristically serious.

“Because that’s just a ridiculous idea,” Jennie retorted a little louder than she intended, prompting a few odd looks from the freshmen students. “It would never work. I don’t even do relationships, and Lisa is… she…”

“Prefers older women?” Rosé provided lightly.

“I was rather thinking along the lines of being a hopeless romantic, but you have a valid point too, I guess,” Jennie admitted. “Either way, that’s not happening. It would only mess up our friendship.”

“Aha!” Rosé exclaimed, shattering the tranquil ambiance of the forest. The students in front of them hastened their steps. “So what you’re basically saying is that if you two weren’t friends, you would totally go for it.”

Jennie grunted in mild irritation. “That’s not what I--”

“Oh come on,” Rosé said, cutting her off. “Just admit it, mate, you think she’s hot.”  

Biting the inside of her cheek, Jennie shook her head. She had no idea how to respond to Rosé’s accusations. Especially since there was some truth to her words. Because yes, Lisa was attractive, or scratch that, she was drop-dead gorgeous. With her shrewd eyes, precious bright smile and slender figure, she could have any girl she wanted. But she didn’t, because she believed in one true love, even if that hadn’t worked out for her so far.

 “See? You’re thinking about it. Honestly, you should just go for it. Follow your heart, mate.” Rosé gave Jennie a playful shove and gushed with a smug grin.

Rubbing her abused arm, Jennie scowled at the girl. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that? I grew up in New Zealand, not Australia, and you haven’t been down there in years, too. Besides, we’re girls, it doesn’t make sense.” 

“Don’t change the subject.” Rosé waved her off. “I know that you’ve at least entertained the idea of you two being together.”

Jennie grimaced, wishing her friend wasn’t so perceptive. Although she considered relationships a waste of time as they usually led to nothing but disappointment, something she’d learned through both - experience and observation, Lisa’s honest and laid-back personality made it easy to imagine that with her things would be different. Still, Jennie wasn’t willing to risk their friendship just to check whether her foolish hunch was correct.

“Sometimes the strongest relationships are born out of friendship, you know?” Rosé spoke up again in that awfully mature voice. “So don’t let the fear of losing Lisa stop you from going after her, because one day, you may lose her to someone else, anyway.”

Jennie tightened her grip around the straps of her backpack.

Rosé’s words hit too close to home. Because as much as Jennie wanted to remain just friends with Lisa, she wasn’t entirely okay with Lisa being in a relationship with someone else either. It was selfish and stupid, and she wasn’t even sure why she felt that way.

“Thought you two got lost already.”

A familiar voice interrupted Jennie’s thoughts. Looking up, she noticed Jisoo waving her snapback at them while devouring a sandwich. She sat on a decaying log and next to her stood Lisa who was downing a bottle of water. Her flushed skin held a soft glow under the light strokes of sun rays. Stray droplets of water trickled down her chin to her slender neck, disappearing somewhere underneath her sinfully short tank top.

Mesmerized by that alluring spectacle, Jennie swallowed thickly. A gesture Lisa must have mistaken for a sign of thirst.

“Want some?” She offered her bottle to Jennie, grinning happily.

But despite dryness in her throat, Jennie shook her head. “I’m fine,” she muttered curtly, unable to meet her friend’s gaze.

It wasn’t that kind of thirst that she felt, and the fact highly disturbed her. Though not as much as the sight of the two graduate students approaching.

“Okay, let’s get going guys.” She resumed her walk and Lisa followed her, after hefting her huge backpack onto her shoulders.

Jennie wondered what the hell she was carrying in it and how exactly she was able to maintain her balance under its weight.

“Hold up, I haven’t even finished eating,” Jisoo remarked with reproach.  

Jennie stopped and turned around. “You can eat on the move, or just join us later.” Although she was talking to Jisoo, her blank stare was directed at the graduates.

After exchanging a few words in hushed voices, the two girls stopped and dropped their backpacks to the ground, resting beside them.

Jennie noticed how Jisoo followed her gaze. A wry expression distorted her delicate features as if she’d just realized that her sandwich was way past its expiration date. Her lips parted like she was about to say something - something very unpleasant. But then Rosé snatched her snapback and put it on her head, blocking her vision.

“Hey!” Jisoo screeched and after taking off the cap scowled at her mischievous girlfriend.  

“It’s okay, we’ll catch up with you,” Rosé told Jennie and shot her a suggestive wink.

Rolling her eyes, Jennie left the two to their own devices and went back to Lisa. The girl either didn’t notice the older students or simply ignored them since Jennie couldn’t find any traces of uneasiness on her face. Just a soft smile which Jennie unwittingly returned. 

“Look at you,” Lisa said once they resumed their walk, her voice carrying a happy lilt to it. “You said you would die before you reached the top and now you’re the one hurrying us up.” She slung her arm over Jennie’s shoulder, pressing their cheeks together. “I told you it wouldn’t be so bad.”  

Not able to remain her gloomy self in the face of Lisa’s unending optimism, Jennie let out a hearty chuckle. And although her feet were surely bleeding and she wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow, she had to agree, it wasn’t so bad.

The rest of the climb was spent in comfortable silence. As the top of the mountain seemed to jump at her, Jennie felt a sense of uncanny anticipation thrum within her. Was it caused by her earlier conversation with Rosé? Or perhaps, by Lisa’s eager smile? She had no idea. But something told her that nothing would be quite the same after this camp.


	2. Chapter II

When they reached the campsite, it was already bustling with people. Laughter and chatter carried through the vast meadow as students were putting up their tents while making new friends. Much to Jennie’s displeasure, many of the freshmen already had cans of beer in their hands. Soon that whole camp would turn into one huge drunkfest, just as she had predicted.

“What’s with that wry face?” Lisa chuckled, poking Jennie’s cheek. “Aren’t you happy we’ve reached the top?”

Jennie just shrugged. “I guess,” she mumbled and sat down on a nearest stump.

Gingerly, she took off her timberlands, glad to find out that her feet weren’t after all drenched in blood. However, the back of her right heel was badly scraped, a blister had torn.

“Great,” she grumbled under her breath, putting back her sock.

She really should have listened to Lisa when she told her that wearing new boots to her first mountain trek wasn’t the best idea. But it wasn’t like she had some other suitable for the occasion boots. She had to buy a new pair. That didn’t explain, however, why she hadn’t packed any band aids…

“Wait, I have something for that,” Lisa said and dropped her backpack to the ground.

Kneeling, she began rummaging through its various compartments, unzipping and unclasping its pockets.

“Painkillers, ointment, antiseptic, cooling spray, band aids and bandages,” she enumerated, putting each item under Jennie’s feet then looked up at her grinning in satisfaction.

Jennie blinked astonished. “That’s like half of the pharmacy.”

“Exaggerating as usual.” Lisa rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Though I do have some cough drops if you need,” she said in a hush.

Jennie’s eyes widened.

“Relax. I’m just kidding.” Lisa giggled, patting Jennie on her knee. “Now show me that scratch,” she said and reached for Jennie’s foot.

“What? No!” Jennie yelped, shrinking away and almost falling off the stump. “I’ll do it myself.”

Bracing her fists on her hips, Lisa frowned at her but said nothing.

Jennie looked nervously at the items lined up on the ground. She didn’t really know what she should use first. To be honest, just a band aid would be enough for her, but certainly not for Lisa, seeing how she took out all those things. If Jennie was to only use the band aid, the girl would surely take offence in that.      

“Fine,” Jennie sighed, her shoulders dropping in defeat. “Go ahead and do it.”

Lisa beamed, clapping her hands while Jennie took off her sock. However, once Lisa touched her foot, a high-pitched squeal escaped Jennie’s mouth. Wide-eyed, the girls stared at each other, both equally shocked by the sound.

Jennie was first to compose herself. She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “It tickles,” she mumbled, averting her gaze to the side.

“Okay, I’ll be more careful then.” Lisa nodded with a soft smile and began cleaning the wound using the antiseptic. Her touch was gentle and precise, feeling almost like a caress.   

Although it wasn’t the first time when Lisa showed her affection and care, it was the first time when Jennie was so acutely aware of it. As if all of her senses were tuned into those light strokes and pensive, worried stares. It filled Jennie’s chest with a peculiar warm sensation.  

There never was much affection in Jennie’s life to begin with. Her parents, divorced workaholics, weren’t the warmhearted kind, and as for her lovers, their kindness was never unconditional.

It was different with Lisa. Her parents, both doctors, showered her with love and attention. They supported her even when she decided to choose a different career path than them, majoring in dance. No wonder then that the girl had so much love to give.

Now that Jennie thought about it, Lisa would probably show the same amount of care and affection to Jisoo and Rosé. Nothing special. And yet some foolish side of Jennie wanted to believe otherwise. Wanted those tender touches to mean something more. Wanted them to be only hers.

She scoffed mentally at those pathetic desires.  

“There, as good as new.”

Jennie tore her gaze away from Lisa’s smiling face and looked at her neatly bandaged foot.

“Impressive,” she stated in genuine amazement.

“Thanks, mom taught me,” Lisa stated proudly.

“Are you proposing?” Rosé’s impish voice reached them.

“Yes, and she was putting the ring on my toe.” Jennie’s smile dripped of sarcasm as she looked at their approaching friends.

Standing up from her knees, Lisa guffawed. Jennie’s lips twitched, curling upwards involuntarily.

“Hey, whatever floats your boat, _mate_.” Rosé put up her arms in defense.

Jennie sighed. “As you can see, Lisa bandaged my wounded foot.”

“Oooh, riiight,” Rosé drawled, nodding. “So you were playing doctor?” She wiggled her eyebrows, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“Whatever,” Jennie grouched, shaking her head and putting on her boots.

“Guys, I suggest we pitch our tents before there’s no space for us,” Lisa said as she meandered through the meadow dotted with colorful tents of various shapes and sizes.

Jisoo followed her after giving Jennie an odd look. Rosé tagged along but not before she elbowed Jennie’s side for no apparent reason.

“What the--“ Jennie winced in pain.

Massaging her ribs, she grudgingly went to join her friends that managed to find some decent spot away from the noisy freshmen. 

*  *  *

“Fu—!” Jennie clamped her lips, swallowing the swearword after Lisa knocked her bony elbow into her rib. The one that had been already victimized by Rosé. Certainly it was at least cracked by now, and she began wondering whether she would survive till the end of this camp.

“Shoot!” Lisa swiveled around, her hair swatting Jennie’s face. “I’m so sorry! This stupid tent is so small. Are you okay?”

“I guess,” Jennie mumbled, taking a blonde hair out of her mouth. “You would think that after a year spent in a dorm room that has a size of a shoe box, we would learn how not to throw accidental punches at each other while sharing small spaces.”

Lisa snorted a chuckle. “But don’t we constantly bump into each other in our room?”

“Yeah,” Jennie said with a pensive look on her face. “How does it happen?”

Lisa shrugged. “Guess we’re clumsy like that.”

“Maybe…” Jennie mused as she remembered all those times when they would trip over each other’s feet and fall onto a bed in a messy tangle of limbs.

“Here, let me check it.” Lisa reached to lift Jennie’s AC/DC t-shirt.

Jennie wanted to protest, or at least her mind wanted, because her body did nothing to stop her friend. And so she observed how Lisa’s slender fingers grazed her skin, igniting tiny sparks inside her body. She stifled a moan that bubbled at the back of her throat when the girl applied some more pressure to her touches.

“Does it hurt?” Lisa raised her gaze, her plump lips slightly parted as if eagerly awaiting something.

Or perhaps, it was just Jennie’s imagination. Still, breath caught in Jennie’s throat at the sight, and she only managed to shake her head.

“Hey you two, quit making out, it’s dinner time!”

They both jumped startled, hearing Rosé’s voice. Lisa withdrew her palm while Jennie hugged her knees to her chest. Her heart beat violently and she wasn’t sure whether it was Rosé’s fault, or maybe Lisa’s.

“What?” Jisoo’s confused voice made them giggle. 

“Coming!” Lisa exclaimed then said to Jennie in a hush, “you’ll live.”  And with a playful wink she left the tent.

Closing her eyes, Jennie propped her forehead against her knees. She needed a moment to cool off. To suppress that painful yet pleasant sensation that surged inside her with Lisa’s each gentle touch. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” she breathed shakily and ran fingers through her dark locks.

Silently, she thanked for Rosé’s existence then went to join her friends.

*  *  *

Apparently, they weren’t the only ones who thought about having a dinner. Around nine thousand people had the same idea, since the queue to the hostel’s restaurant was winding way beyond the entrance’s door. Jennie imagined them turning into skeletons by the time it was their turn to order.

“How about you two will go order and me and Lisa will find some place to sit.” Rosé suggestion sounded more like a statement.

Jisoo didn’t seem to mind the idea, or if she did then she decided not to communicate her discontent. Jennie only squinted her eyes in suspicion. It was strange that Rosé didn’t suggest Lisa to go with her instead of Jisoo. Perhaps, she was fishing for a chance to mess with the other girl’s head. A worrisome prospect.

Suddenly, Jennie felt a soft touch on her arm that brought her back from her thoughts.

“Hey, if you don’t want, I can go,” Lisa offered. “Your foot must still hurt.”

“Nah, it’s okay. I’ll go,” she said and caught a glimpse of Rosé's widening grin.

“You pay today and I pay tomorrow?”

Jennie nodded to Lisa’s words. It was their usual arrangement whenever they went out to eat. But for some unknown reason, Rosé must have found it really amusing because, lo and behold, her grin grew even wider.

Jennie found it hard to believe that she was thanking for that demon’s existence just minutes ago.

“Come on, I’m hungry,” Jisoo whined, tugging her sleeve.

Jennie jerked away her hand. A wry look passed between them and wordlessly, they left.

*  *  *

Sometimes Jisoo dealt with boredom in the most bizarre of ways. The moment they joined the queue, she began playing with her cap, tossing it into the air and trying to catch it with her head. Jennie ignored it at first, but gradually, it began to get on her nerves. So when Jisoo threw her cap up, for what it felt like a millionth time, Jennie caught it mid-air.

“Hey!” Jisoo protested, frowning.

“Could you please stop doing this?” Jennie tossed the cap back to the older girl. “It’s giving me a headache,” she muttered and checked how many people was still before them.

Too many…

Leaning against the paneled wall behind them, Jisoo gave her a sidelong glance.

“So what’s up with you and Lisa?” She asked, spinning the cap on her forefinger.

There was a confrontational edge to her voice and it didn’t sit well with Jennie.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jennie intoned flippantly.

Truth to be told, unlike Lisa, she never really hit it off with Jisoo. Their relations were lukewarm at best. Jennie blamed it on their conflicting personalities. Jisoo liked to party, Jennie hated crowds; Jisoo couldn’t stand still for a second, Jennie enjoyed peace and quiet; Jisoo told her she didn’t trust her, Jennie had no idea why. But for the sake of Rosé, they managed to work around those differences and learned not be bothered much by them. Naturally, it was harder whenever they were left alone.

“Then why Rosé said that you two were making out?”

Jennie checked the queue again. There was still around twenty people to go. She groaned.

“I don’t know, ask her.” Jennie’s shoulder lifted in a lazy shrug.

“Do you like her? I mean, like _like_ her.”

With a sigh, Jennie turned to face Jisoo. She figured it was better to explain the situation to her before she would make her own false assumptions. “Okay, look, Rosé came up with this crazy idea that me and Lisa should be together. Her insinuations are supposed to hint at something. I don’t know at what, though. I have nothing to do with this.”

The older girl snorted with laughter. Jennie looked at her unimpressed.

“Wait, you aren’t joking.” Jisoo’s doe-like eyes clouded in confusion.

“Exactly my reaction, minus the spitting,” Jennie grumbled, wiping her cheek.

Jisoo seem to contemplate her next words.

“I don’t know,” she mumbled.

“Like I said, me neither.”

“No, I mean, maybe she’s right.”

“Excuse me?” Jennie was certain she misheard what Jisoo just said.

The cap stopped spinning. Jisoo stared at it, biting the inside of her cheek. Her eyes suddenly devoid of their usual vibrancy. 

Jennie rubbed the back of her neck, averting her gaze to the floor. She was never good at dealing with sad people. She felt awkward whenever someone cried around her, or simply acted dejected, much like Jisoo was right now.

“I’m not the best judge of personalities apparently,” Jisoo murmured and put on her cap, covering her eyes with it. “I thought that Seulgi was a good match for her, and yet…” she trailed off as her breath hitched.

 _And yet she turned out to be the biggest fucking fraud_ , Jennie finished in her mind. In all honesty though, she also thought that Seulgi, a reliable graduate student, would take a good care of Lisa. Or maybe it was just Lisa’s perception of the girl that clouded her judgment and made her believe so.

The girl was completely smitten by her. Talking on and on about how mature and responsible she is, how smart and funny. How her eyes turn into crescents when she smiles and how breathtaking her dance moves are. A walking perfection, really.

“Don’t beat yourself about it. Some people are just good at pretending,” Jennie remarked with scorn.

Jisoo sniffed, nodding. “Anyway, whatever you do, just don’t hurt her, okay?”

Jennie smiled because Jisoo sounded like an overprotective older brother. And well, she kind of was. She was often saying how she always wanted to have a younger sister like Lisa. Whenever she would mention that, some tiny part of Jennie, found it quite adorable.

“I won’t,” Jennie replied, but the words felt heavy on her tongue, filling her with anxiety.

She thought back to the situation in the tent when she hadn’t found enough will in herself to stop Lisa. When she allowed her innocent touch to spark the all too familiar desire within her. When she wanted her all to herself…

The anxious feeling grew in its intensity, turning into sickening dread as the final thought occurred to her; what if Jisoo didn’t trust her, because Jennie never trusted herself in the first place.

 

 


	3. Chapter III

“What do you mean you don’t have gamjatang*? I can clearly see it on your menu.” Jennie punched  the laminated card that lay on the counter with her finger, pointing to the dish.

The girl behind the counter, Seungwan - her nametag stated, recoiled slightly. Her thick eyebrows furrowed in trepidation and she looked as though she was about to take off her apron, throw it at Jennie and run away into the forest like a scared animal.  

“Uhm, yes, but we serve gamjatang on Thursdays,” Seungwan said meekly and indicated the small annotation written at the bottom of the menu. “On Fridays, we have samgyetang*.”

Jennie took the menu and brought it closer to her eyes. Indeed, at its very bottom, in small print, it was written that there was a different soup for each day of the week. Putting down the card, Jennie squeezed the bridge of her nose. She couldn’t believe that she had spent over thirty minutes in a queue just to find out that they weren’t serving the dish she wanted to order. 

“Hey, I’m sure that Lisa will eat whatever you buy her. She isn’t picky with her food,” Jisoo remarked, putting a calming hand onto Jennie’s shoulder.

Sadly, the gesture had the opposite effect.

Shrugging off Jisoo’s palm, Jennie shot her a fleeting glare. She wasn’t stupid. Of course she knew Lisa wouldn’t mind eating something else. But she also knew that gamjatang was Lisa’s favorite dish ever. Jennie would never forget her wide-eyed amazement when she tasted it for the first time. She ordered it following Jennie’s recommendation, during their first outing, shortly after they’d became friends.     

Jennie took a deep breath, trying to calm down her nerves and reorganize her thoughts.

“Okay,” she spoke up again, this time stretching her lips into what she considered a polite smile. “But is there a chance, perhaps, that you could make a small exception and prepare one serving of gamjatang? I’m willing to pay extra, and I swear I won’t tell anyone.”

“Well, uhm…” Seungwan chewed her bottom lip. “I’ll see what I can do,” she said, a shy smile gracing her lips.

Jennie returned the gesture in appreciation.

*  *  *

“Finally!” Rosé exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

She was sitting with Lisa beside one of the wooden tables at the back of the hostel. The nearby trees shielded the place from the sun, casting pleasant, chilly shade. Several other tables were occupied by some gruff looking boys and squealing girls.

“What took you so long? We’re starving,” Rosé continued her tirade.   

“Excuse me, but haven’t you noticed the long-ass queue in which we were standing?” Jennie retorted as she took her seat next to Lisa on a wooden bench.

“We would be quicker if you didn’t challenge the cook to five rounds of rock-scissors-paper just so that he would prepare gamjatang, which wasn’t even on the menu,” Jisoo shot back, pulling Rosé closer under her protective arm.

“It was,” Jennie seeped through her teeth. “Not my fault they choose to misinform their clients.”

“Aww how sweet,” Rosé cooed in her honey voice, gazing at Jennie as if she was congratulating her on her first baby. “You fought for Lisa’s favorite dish.”

Jennie furrowed her eyebrows at the statement. She was about to protest when a pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

“Thanks, that’s really sweet of you,” Lisa mumbled against Jennie’s arm, the corner of her lips hiding a bashful smile as she gazed at Jennie with her round, sparkly eyes.

And in that moment, Jennie was certain that those eyes could cure terminal diseases and end wars. But of course, she would never admit it out loud. Instead, she had prepared a curt ‘no problem’ answer, which never left her mouth, being stolen by Lisa’s swift kiss against her cheek.

If not for Rosé’s squeal, Jennie would surely fall into one of those embarrassing stupors known only to high school boys and girls that were going through their first puppy love. But thankfully, the dolphin shriek kept Jennie’s mind awake.

“Dork,” she snorted a chuckle, hoping it didn’t sound too nervous, and wiped her cheek, using it as a perfect opportunity to conceal her twitchy lips with her palm.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rosé’s smirk and it made her wonder whether the girl had been planting some ridiculous ideas in Lisa’s head while she and Jisoo went to get the food. But those thoughts were abandoned when a waitress arrived at their table with the said food.

Clapping her hands, Lisa cheered elated to finally taste her favorite dish. Her reaction brought smiles to everyone’s faces. Even Jisoo who had a frown stuck on her face after witnessing her display of affection, now grinned toothily at the blonde girl.

After the dinner, they decided to stay in their place for a little longer as listlessness overcame their bodies and minds. A side-effect of a hearty meal. Resting her head on the table, Jennie grunted inwardly once Rosé and Jisoo began sharing lazy kisses.

Lost in their own world, they weren’t even bothered by the whispers coming from the other tables. But that was hardly surprising. The couple was never one to hide their affections. Many of the older students at their university were already used to that, showing little to no reaction to it, but the freshmen obviously found it fascinating, or disturbing, depending on a person. 

As for Jennie, she had no qualms about being ‘out and proud’, she just wished her friends were a bit more considerate of her presence, understanding that she really didn’t need to witness their ostentatious lovey-dovey sessions. All those quiet smacking noises and airy giggles were making her cringe.

Lisa, on the other hand, displayed a quite different sentiment. Resting her head on the table in the same manner as Jennie, she kept stealing glances at the couple - glances lined with obvious longing and envy. Jennie found it bitterly unfair that a person who had so much love to give didn’t have anyone to give it to. It was painful to watch, so she decided to put an end to it. At least for now.

“Okay, enough of this.” Slamming her palm against the table, Jennie startled the couple as well as Lisa. “Let’s do something. I’m bored,” she drawled and left the table, not waiting for the rest to follow her.

*  *  *

Jennie splashed water onto her face and looked at her worn out expression in the mirror. She was tired and she would love to go to sleep. Unfortunately, it was only eight o’clock in the evening, meaning that all the activities: bonfire, singing, drinking and god knows what else, were just about to start. And they would probably last until the morning. She hoped that none of the freshmen would end up catching fire, or burning down the whole camp by chance. 

“You look wasted, mate,” Rosé snickered as she left the toilet and joined Jennie by the sink, “and you haven’t even had your first drink yet.”

Jennie slanted her an unaffected glare. She wasn’t in a mood to bicker with the girl again. Though as she looked around and realized that they were alone in the bathroom, she decided to voice out her earlier suspicions and do a little bit of questioning.

 “What have you been talking about with Lisa when I and Jisoo went to get the food?” She asked as she turned around, leaning against the sink.

Rosé arched her eyebrow. “What do you mean officer? Am I in trouble? Should I call my lawyer?” She said in a formal tone, obviously finding the situation amusing.

“Quit fooling around, Rosé,” Jennie shot impatiently. “You know what I mean. Have you told her what you’d told me?”

“Wait.” Rosé raised her forefinger, stifling another chuckle. “Is it about that innocent peck she gave you? Do you think she did that because I enlightened her to the idea of you two dating?”

Crossing arms at her chest, Jennie frowned. “Well did you?”

Rosé shook her head, her shoulders dropping. “Oh Jennie, Jennie. Tell me, was this the first time when Lisa kissed your cheek?”

Jennie gnawed on her bottom lip, her gaze veering to the side.

No, it wasn’t the first time. She actually lost count of all those innocent kisses that Lisa pressed against her cheeks. Once that realization sunk in, Jennie felt like a complete moron. What was she thinking, really? It was just one of the many ways in which Lisa expressed her gratitude, happiness, or even compliments. Why that one kiss was supposed to be different than the rest?

“As far as I remember,” Rosé tapped her chin pensively. “She once kissed you on the cheek while she was still dating Seulgi. So wasn’t that just Lisa being, you know, Lisa?”

“Right,” Jennie mumbled, rubbing her neck. “Forget I asked.”

She was about to step away from the sink when Rosé blocked her way. A shadow of a smirk ghosting on her lips.

“I haven’t told her anything, but it’s nice to know that you slowly begin to see things from a different perspective,” the redhead remarked vaguely then spun around, heading for the exit.

Frowning in puzzlement, Jennie had no idea what her friend meant. She was never good at guessing games. So she ran after Rosé to seek further explanation, but once she found herself outside the bathroom and noticed a black serpent in the grass, she shrieked in terror and retreated under the building’s wall.

“What the hell Jen? What happened?” Rosé asked in alarm.

Pressing her cheek to the cold wall, Jennie pointed her shaky finger at the ground. “S-s-ssnake,” she stammered out from between frantic breaths.

“What? You mean this?” Rosé heaved a sigh. “It’s okay you can look. It’s just a rubber hose.”

Slowly, without moving her head, Jennie diverted her gaze to the side. And as she realized that Rosé indeed held just an inanimate object in her hand, she slid down the wall and tried to calm down her breathing.

Rosé crouched in front of her and fixed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“I fucking hate snakes,” Jennie muttered, staring blankly at her friend. The crisp, evening wind cooled off her perspired forehead.

“I know, honey, I know,” Rosé said softly and helped Jennie to get up.

“Guysss!” Lisa’s voice caught their attention, and they saw her running to them with a megawatt grin on her face. She had changed into a pair of ripped jeans and covered her top with a flannel shirt. “Come on, there’s a dance battle going on,” she said, excited like a five year old on a sugar high.    

Jennie and Rosé couldn’t help but to chuckle at her.

The tension left Jennie’s body along with the mind-numbing thoughts regarding hideous, slithery reptiles. She grinned when Lisa grabbed her hand, leading her towards the noisy crowd that gathered near the campfire. And as they fingers instinctively interlocked, Jennie felt as though she was the one who ended up catching fire. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *  Gamjatang - pork spine soup, a spicy Korean soup made from the spine of a pig. Lisa’s favorite dish.
> 
> * Samgyetang - warm soup for hot summer days, consists primarily of a whole young chicken - filled with garlic and rice -, scallion and spices, among them jujube and Korean ginseng.


	4. Chapter IV

Courtesy of Lisa's elbows, Jennie and Rosé found themselves at the front of the frenzied crowd, where Jisoo already waited for them. In the middle, two lanky guys were rising clouds of dust with their stomping moves. Heavy beats flew from the wireless loudspeakers, making the air around Jennie's fingertips vibrate and thrum.

Looks of disbelief always accompanied Jennie's confessions about dancing being her passion. As soon as she began dancing, however, they turned into stares of amazement. She rarely felt competitive about it, treating dancing more like a refuge from complicated thoughts and emotions, but she also wasn't one to turn down a challenge. So when the two guys chose her and Lisa as the next competitors, neither of them hesitated. They entered the circle and began their performance.

Each their move was powerful and bold, executed with knife-like precision. The rhythm took control over their bodies, leading them into perfect synchronization. In the flurry of spins and steps, Jennie caught Lisa's wicked smirk and felt all the excitement within her pool somewhere in the pit of her belly.

Standing back to back with arms crossed at their heaving chests, they struck their final pose. People cheered and clapped, but the noise came muffled in Jennie's ears. Glancing over her shoulder, she got lost in Lisa's wild gaze. Dark eyes reflected hunger that was still a mystery to Jennie. Just like a page in a book she was yet to read.

However, that expression was abruptly replaced by panic when the crowd began chanting Seulgi's name in unison, well aware that only she could top that performance.

Lisa's face hardened with dread and she remained impassive to Jennie's calls. Someone pushed Seulgi to the front and their eyes met. It was just a brief second, but the blonde froze as if struck with basilisk glance.

Just then a familiar black snapback cut through the air, landing on Jisoo's head in sync with the beat drop the moment she jumped into the middle of the circle. Aiming her arm like a shotgun at Seulgi, she pretended to shoot. _Bang. Bang. Bang._ The crowd went wild watching her aggressive krumping.

“Come on.” Jennie rested a hand on Lisa's shoulder and gently pulled her out of the crowd.

Once they'd found each other further from the dance battle, or rather battleground, Lisa blinked away her unfocused gaze.

“Hey,” she nudged Jennie's shoulder, “we've crushed those guys, haven't we?” She cracked a smile, but it was somewhat dull at its edges.

“Yeah, totally.” Jennie nodded, wondering whether her smile was just as unconvincing.

They sat down on a log near the campfire. Lisa stretched out her legs, peering into the orange flames. An image reminiscent of her post-break up days when she would stare through the window all silent and morose. The only difference was that her eyes weren't bloodshot.

Rubbing her neck, Jennie looked up to the sky. Sometimes she just didn't get Lisa. If she wasn't completely over Seulgi, why she had been so eager to attend the camp? She knew Seulgi would be here. It was just a matter of time before they would bump into each other.

She sighed. The silence became too heavy to bear, prickling her skin, but she didn't know what to say to break it. Curse her lack of eloquence. She had to restore to non-verbal methods.

Laying down on the log, she rested her head on Lisa's lap. The blonde arched her eyebrows in surprise.

“I'm tired,” Jennie murmured, closing her eyes.

Seconds later she felt slender fingers twine her hair.

“It's been a long day.” Lisa's voice carried a hint of a smile.

Jennie hummed in agreement as she drifted to her dreamland guided by Lisa's gentle touch. Unfortunately, her journey came to a grinding halt when she heard giggles and whispers coming from the opposite side of the campfire.

Peeved by the noise, Jennie cracked one eye open. The offenders turned out to be a trio of freshmen girls. And judging by their not-so-subtle looks, they were talking about her and Lisa. Oddly, it reminded Jennie of the reactions that Jisoo and Rosé had received during the dinner. Somewhat startled by the realization, Jennie sat up and stretched her arms.

Lisa blinked at her, taken aback.

“Uncomfortable,” Jennie stated, massaging her shoulder.

“Sorry, are you Kim Jennie by chance?” A husky voice inquired.

Looking up, Jennie saw one of the freshmen girls standing next to them. She was slightly shorter than Lisa, wearing a floral dress that perfectly accentuated her slender figure.

“Yeah,” Jennie replied with a cocked eyebrow.

“Thought so.” The girl smirked lightly and sat down beside Jennie, mindful of her dress. “Park Sooyoung, first year majoring in vocal,” she declared, extending her palm.

Jennie cast a hesitant glance over her shoulder, surprised to find Lisa sitting further away from her. But the blonde just winked cheekily in reply to her questioning look. The gesture caused something akin to irritation bubble inside Jennie.

When she looked back at the younger girl, she was still holding up her hand. Jennie shook it wordlessly, and their palms separated with a lingering touch on Sooyoung's part.

“I've heard a lot about you,” the girl admitted, tilting her head to one side as she bit down on her lush lips.

“Is that so?” Jennie drawled and watched as Sooyoung crossed her legs, causing the dress to ride up and expose her milky thighs.

“One of those things turned one to be true already, you are a great dancer.”

The images of Lisa's heaving chest and hungry eyes flooded Jennie's mind, sending shivers down her spine. Repulsed by how eagerly her body reacted to those flashbacks, she averted her gaze to the side, closing her eyes for a brief moment. However, Sooyoung lifted her chin gently and their eyes met again.

Somehow, Jennie found solace in those dark eyes that became a temporary vessel for her misguided desires and wants.

“I would love to find out whether the rest is also true,” the younger girl whispered, her hot breath grazing Jennie's lips.

Never the submissive type, Jennie chuckled softly at her own desperation. It had been a while since her last hook-up, so maybe that's why? Or maybe, she just really needed someone who would take her mind of off Lisa. Whatever it was, she was glad Sooyoung decided to approach her.

“I'm staying at the hostel,” the girl declared, standing up gracefully, “room twenty-seven.”

Jennie emitted a hum of acknowledgment. Sooyoung smiled over her shoulder, and taking even strides, went back to her snickering friends.

“She's pretty,” Lisa remarked as she sidled up to Jennie.

Shrugging, Jennie muttered dryly, “I guess...”

Sooyoung had pretty, round eyes, but not as bright as Lisa's, nice smile, but not as honest as... Shaking her head in amused disbelief, Jennie discarded that ridiculous train of thought. 

“Soo, are you going to accept the invitation?” Lisa asked, glancing sideways at her.

“What about you?”

“Uhmm,” Lisa scrunched her brows in amusement, “I'm pretty sure she invited just you, or am I not aware of something?”

“I mean, you won't mind?” Jennie rectified. “You hate sleeping alone.”

“I'll be fine,” Lisa said, lowering her gaze.

The blatant lie made Jennie chuckle to herself.

“Anyway, you better don't fall asleep when you...” Lisa arched her eyebrows, poking the inside of her cheek with her tongue in what was the derpiest expression ever.

“Shut up.” Jennie nudged her, biting back a grin.

Cackling evilly, Lisa swayed to the side. But soon her expression grew wistful and something akin to sadness flashed in her eyes.

Jennie assumed it was just an illusion created by the flickering shadows.

* * *

Jennie walked through a dimly lit corridor, tips of her hair still wet from the quick shower she took in the hostel's bathroom just minutes ago. The hostel itself seemed to be deserted as an uncanny silence prevailed over its wooden paneled walls, giving Jennie slight goosebumps. She felt almost like a character in a horror movie who was about to walk right into the psychopath's trap. She should cut down on those Friday night horror marathons. Then again, Lisa probably won't let her; she always looks forward to them.

Running her hand over her tired face, she groaned inwardly. What she really needed was to stop thinking about Lisa. She hoped the room twenty-seven would grant her that sweet oblivion that she so desperately needed. To get Lisa out of her system. To tear her out from under her skin.

Upon reaching the room, she lifted her fist to knock, but stopped mid-air. Thoughts of psychopaths returned. Of drunk and rowdy freshmen boys and girls. Of Lisa alone in their tiny tent. And of them sleeping on a small bed in a loose embrace, after watching yet another crazy B-class horror movie that brought more laughs than spooks.

The fist landed with a soft bump on her forehead, nails digging painfully into her palm as she screwed her eyes shut. She couldn't leave Lisa like that, for some random one-night stand whose name she's gonna forget tomorrow.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes, hand dropping by her side, and she turned to leave. But then the door creaked open behind her.

“Jennie?” Sooyoung's unsure voice called her.

Since fleeing now would look incredibly stupid and immature, Jennie decided to face the girl. And just by looking at her pretty face, round cheeks and plump lips, she knew she would never forget her name, but the fact didn't change a thing. Even if they decided to spend this night together, tomorrow, they would become strangers again.

That's what Jennie wanted to tell her, explain to her that it wasn't worth it, really. But the younger girl made a step forward and took her hand, leading her into the room.

The curtains in the room were drawn, and the only source of light came from a small lamp on a nightstand. Sooyoung took over the initiative with a gentle yet persistent kiss. Unresponsive at first, Jennie soon gave in to the surging heat in her belly, meshing their lips in a sloppy, eager kiss. But when images of Lisa began flashing under her eyelids, she pushed back the girl.

Sooyoung looked at her through hooded eyes, breathless and confused, as Jennie kept her at an arm's length.

“I shouldn't be here,” Jennie murmured, shaking her head.

“Why?” Sooyoung moved forward, pushing against her hands, but Jennie wouldn't budge.

“Someone else is on my mind,” she confessed in a small voice.

“I don't mind,” the younger girl assured.

Jennie smiled weakly, meeting her gaze.

“I do.”

* * *

“Jennie? What are you doing here?”

Sneaking into the tent, Jennie winced when she heard the words. She hoped Lisa would be sleeping by now, but no such luck. Tucked in her sleeping bag, the blonde stared puzzled at her while clutching a huge pillow in her arms.

However, Jennie ignored her look as she lay down and embraced her, burying her face into the pillow. “You hate sleeping alone,” she mumbled.

“I said I would be fine.”

“You lied.”

Silence fell between them. Lisa didn't deny her words and Jennie didn't ask any questions.

They lay like that for a couple of minutes, quiet and still, before Jennie crawled into her own sleeping bag. She then reached for her backpack and took out an eye-mask from one of its pockets. But before she put it on, she glanced at Lisa. The girl had an unreadable look on her face partially covered by the pillow. It somehow irritated Jennie that she couldn't guess what her best friend had on her mind.

“Goodnight,” she said sighing and pulled the mask over her eyes.

“Goodnight,” came Lisa's soft reply.

Unfortunately, the party outside was still going on, and the mutter of conversations and music didn't die down, making it impossible for Jennie to fall asleep. Huffing, she covered her ears with her pillow. Seconds later she felt warm fingers pry open her palm and slid something soft into it.

Jennie lifted her eye-mask. Turned out, Lisa gave her a pair of orange earplugs.

“Sweet dreams,” the blonde mumbled against her pillow and turned around.

Dumbfounded, Jennie stared at Lisa's back, feeling her heart swell in her chest. A sensation both painful and pleasant. And for the first time since her conversation with Rosé, she thought that maybe, just maybe, her friend was right. Maybe she should just take the risk and see what happens.

She squeezed her palm and smiled.

Or maybe, she just needed a good night's sleep...

 

 


	5. Chapter V

“Jennie, wake up,” a soft voice whispered in the darkness.

Groaning, Jennie shifted in her sleeping bag to the other side. But the person became even more persistent, shaking lightly her shoulder.

“Come on, I'll show you something cool.”

Jennie pulled onto the offending hand. With a started yelp, a warm body fell into her arms. Burying her face into the crook of a neck, Jennie sighed in content.

“Uhm, Jennie...?” Hot breath tickled Jennie's ear, and it finally registered in her sleepy mind that she was clinging onto Lisa.

Slowly, so as to hide her internal panic, she lifted her arms, stretching them above her head. The pleasant warmth was gone, and Jennie took off her eye-mask to see Lisa kneeling next to her.

Sitting up, she avoided her friend's mirthful gaze.

“What time is it?” she grumbled, picking up the earplugs that fell out of her ears.

“Five o'clock.”

Jennie arched her eyebrow. “I assure you there's nothing I have to see at such an ungodly hour. ”

“Please, I promise you won't regret it.” Lisa puckered her lips in a pleading pout, clasping her palms under her chin.

Her face was puffy, hair tousled and static; a ridiculously adorable sight that made Jennie grimace in defeat.

“Fine,” she muttered.

Lisa clapped her hands, blinding Jennie with her toothy grin.

* * *

Dusk still veiled the forest when they climbed further up the mountain. Jennie didn't bother to ask where they were going. She knew the answer would be a mischievous 'it's a surprise'.

Stifling a yawn, she pulled her hoodie closer to her body and glanced at Lisa. The girl had a peaceful smile on her face. She was back to her normal self. Jennie had thought that the impromptu morning trek had something to do with Seulgi, but then it would involve less smiling and more brooding. So she guessed it was just Lisa being random and spontaneous. Nothing new.

They walked in silence but it wasn't unbearable like yesterday. It was filled by the forest's murmur, chirping birds and rustling leaves, and Jennie didn't want to interrupt that quiet conversation. She felt a bit like an intruder, almost as if the forest was opening at eight and here they were three hours earlier.

The silly thought made her chuckle under her breath.

Lisa raised her eyebrow, giving her a sideways glance. Jennie just shook her head, and no questions were asked. Perhaps Lisa felt the same? Jennie wasn't sure.

Actually, she wasn't sure about lots of things lately. Like how would Lisa react to Rosé's suggestion of them being together? Would she find it ridiculous? Laugh it off? Or maybe, her reaction would be completely opposite?

She didn't want to ponder on that last option. And she didn't like how she suddenly began trying to guess Lisa's thoughts. For some reason, it felt wrong.

The trees gradually gave way to a more rocky landscape and soon they reached their destination, a viewing point on a rocky cliff. Beneath them stretched a green valley, shrouded by a cloak of a morning mist.

Lisa sat down cross-legged on the ground and Jennie did the same. Together they watched as the first sun rays peeked over the horizon. Brilliant, golden streaks crossed the skyline and spilled into the valley, awakening the forest from its slumber.

Jennie marveled at the sight. Never in her life had she seen something so enthralling. At that thought her eyes veered to the side. Lisa must have felt her gaze because she turned to her with a smile. And Jennie had to retreat her statement because Lisa's smile was just as mesmerizing, if not more.

“Isn't this a perfect spot to have your first kiss?” Lisa mused, staring off into distance dreamily.

Her words brought smile to Jennie's face, but it faded the moment she remembered her own first kiss. At a party with some girl who wanted to try 'something new'. Jennie was drunk so she easily relented. Not the most romantic experience.

“Isn't it a bit too late for that now?” she scoffed, flicking a pebble over the cliff's edge.

“Let's get going,” Lisa blurted suddenly and stood from the ground, dusting off her jeans.

Mentally scolding herself, Jennie caught her wrist. “Sorry, I'm grumpy from the lack of sleep.”

Lisa sighed, her shoulders slumping. She looked at the horizon, then back at Jennie.

“Grumpy cat,” she muttered through pursed lips, earning a chuckle from Jennie, and sat back down. “How was your first kiss anyway?”

Jennie shrugged. “Drunk and sloppy,” she answered. “Yours?”

Somehow they'd never discussed the topic. When they met in the second year of high school, they both had that experience behind them. And Jennie wasn't the type to pry into people's private lives. Neither was Lisa.

“With a boy,” Lisa said, making a wry face.

“Was it that bad?”

“Ughh, it was like kissing a dead fish.”

Jennie snorted with laughter at the comparison.

“How about your first kiss with a girl, then? Any better?”

“Yeah, definitely better.” Lisa's lips stretched into silly grin tinged with bashfulness. “Gentle and sweet,” she murmured, gazing into distance again and most likely, reliving the experience.

A painful sting of jealousy tugged at Jennie's heartstrings. Not because Lisa had her first kiss with someone else than her, but because there were people who kissed Lisa and she wasn't one of them. It wasn't the first time Jennie felt like that but somehow she always managed to ignore the feeling. However, with Rosé messing with her head lately, it became harder to do so.

“Let's go back and catch some sleep before breakfast, hm?” Lisa tilted her head, catching Jennie's far-off gaze.

Jennie gave a small nod.

Illuminated by the morning sun, the forest looked more inviting on the way back. However, they spent their trek in silence again. Mostly because Lisa was deep in thought, and Jennie was focused on not thinking about what the other girl was thinking.

“Jen? Can I ask you something?” Lisa's voice came so sudden that Jennie almost tripped over a fallen branch.

“Sure,” she answered after regaining her footing.

“Have you ever been in love?” Lisa cast her an unsure glance.

Jennie blinked stupidly, caught off guard by the question and Lisa's serious tone. But seeing as the girl waited for her answer, she began to ponder. But the problem was, she wasn't sure what Lisa considered as being in love. Their definitions would probably differ.

She scoffed inwardly at her own thoughts. Who was she kidding, really? She had no idea what love was, or how it felt. She never wanted to be with someone longer than for one night. No one except with Lisa. But that was different because Lisa was her friend.

“No, I don't think so. What about you?” She said, but the words felt oddly like a lie and it scared her.

“I thought I was,” Lisa muttered dejectedly. “But I guess I was wrong,” she trailed off, stopping where the forest ended and the meadow began. “Love shouldn't feel like a struggle. It should be easy, you know? Something familiar that makes you feel happy and safe. Don't you think so?”

The wise words struck Jennie mute and she just stood there staring dumbly at her friend.

“Never mind,” Lisa sighed, obviously disappointed and made a move to leave.

“Y-yeah, I think so too,” Jennie's voice came with a slight tremor.

Lisa stared at her, surprised by her words, before her lips broke into a grin. Jennie smiled back and together they went back to their tent for a quick nap before the breakfast.

* * *

When Jennie woke up, it was already noon, and Lisa was nowhere to be found. For a minute or two, she considered falling back asleep, but her stomach began rumbling loudly, reminding her of the breakfast she skipped.

She dragged her body out of the tent and went to refresh herself and grab some lunch. She noticed Rosé waving to her and made a mental note of her spot to later return to her.

Once she satisfied her hunger, Jennie returned and sat down on the grass next to Rosé. The girl was tuning a guitar, plucking its strings. Not far from them, Lisa and Jisoo played volleyball with a group of freshman girls. Sooyoung was among them. She cast Jennie a fleeting glare when she saw her. Guess, she didn't take well her rejection.

“Whose guitar is this?” Jennie asked, leaning back on her elbows.

“The hostel's owner. He let me borrow it, said he can't play it anyway,” Rosé said, but Jennie tuned her out as she became engrossed by the game. She even pumped her fist in a gesture of triumph when Lisa spiked the ball, scoring a point.

Only when she heard Rosé's snicker, she turned her attention back to the ginger-head.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Rosé said and returned to strumming the guitar.

Plucking the leaves of grass, Jennie glared at her friend because she knew that 'nothing' always meant 'something' in Rosé's dictionary.

Just then Lisa scored an ace from a serve and Jennie did another fist pump. But became slightly flustered when Lisa noticed her.

“How did you know that you love Jisoo?” The words rushed out of Jennie's mouth before she could stop and rethink them.

Rosé stopped playing and looked up at her, an infuriating smirk curling her lips. “It was love at first sight, mate.”

Jennie rolled her eyes.

“What? It really was. I saw her dancing in the practice room. You know, acting all cool and badass one second, just to become a total dork the next. And just like that I knew that she was the one for me,” Rosé said as she watched her girlfriend burst into giggles after a terrible attempt at serving.

The ball hit one of their teammates on the head. Horrified, Lisa rushed to the girl to check on her. Jisoo came up to her as well, apologizing, albeit still laughing.

“You aren't going to ask why I asked?” Jennie muttered, staring absently at how Lisa fretted over the girl, who, by the way, was obviously fine. It wasn't like Jisoo decapitated her or something.

She stopped watching when she felt her fingers dig into the ground. Glancing down, she saw a grass-less patch of soil under her palm.

Rosé tilted her head. “But I know why you asked.”

“I hate you,” Jennie mumbled, standing up and leaving to clean her hands.

“I love you too!”

Hearing the words, Jennie's lips twitched up in a small smile.

* * *

“Remind me, why are we doing this?” Jennie huffed, after picking another dry branch from the ground.

“Because I offered to help,” Lisa stated as a matter-of-factly. She had already collected so many branches that she was barely able to hold them in her arms.

Jennie grimaced. “Sometimes you're too good for your own good.”

“I take it as a compliment.”

“Of course, you do...” Jennie mumbled under her breath, smiling.

The sun was slowly sinking behind the horizon and another campfire was about to start. Hence, their hunt for the dry branches. Jennie was about to reach for one when it moved and hissed, slowly lifting its black head from the ground.

“L--lisa...” Branches spilling from her hands, Jennie forced the name through her numb lips. Her heart hammered in her chest and she broke into cold sweat.

The beast produced another hiss, bearing its forked tongue.

“Yeah? Holy-- okay, just stay calm Jennie,” Lisa said but her voice felt so distant to Jennie as though she was speaking to her from miles away.

And all she could think of was that she was going to die in agony bitten by that slithery abomination. In front of the person she cared the most for. But what was even worse was that she would never get a chance to tell her that. To tell Lisa just how much she meant to her and how badly she wanted to kiss her each time she saw that bright, sweet smile lit up her face.

“Look at me!”

Jennie's eyes flickered to the blonde.

“Remember how we've met? No one wanted to speak to me after I transferred. Everyone just whispered behind my back and laughed at my accent. You were the first one that approached me and you didn't care that the others would target you as well. You said that I should smile more, and I did. Back then I thought that you were so brave, and I know that you still are.”

Shaking her head, Jennie felt tears stream down her cheeks. Because Lisa was wrong. So, so wrong. She was a coward. A big, fucking coward who couldn't even confess to the girl she loved.

At that thought something snapped inside Jennie. “I-I need t-to tell you s-something,” she stammered, eyes fixed on Lisa who had hers on the ground.

“It's gone,” the blonde said and for a second, Jennie didn't understand what she meant until she looked to the ground and saw that the viper was nowhere to be found.

Her knees buckled, but before she was able to collapse, she found herself enveloped by a pair of skinny but surprisingly strong arms.

“It's okay. I've got you,” Lisa whispered against her temple.

Clinging onto the girl, Jennie gradually relaxed and her tears subsided.

“What was it that you needed to tell me?” The blonde asked once Jennie was able to stand on her own.

And just like that all the hesitation and fears came rushing back as Jennie looked into Lisa's expectant eyes.

“I-- Rosé was right, you're a major badass.”

Lisa chuckled lightly. “Let's go back,” she said, slipping her hand under Jennie's arm to hold her.

In the end, Jennie regretted not being bitten by that viper because she very much deserved it...

* * *

Jennie asked Lisa not to tell Jisoo and Rosé about what happened. She didn't want them to worry. But most of all, she didn't want to relive the experience. Of course, Lisa complied. She asked, however, whether there was anything she could do for her and Jennie suggested that she could get them some alcohol. She needed something that would let her forget about the viper and the revelation it accidentally brought upon her.

She wasn't ready to face her feelings. And she wasn't sure whether she would ever be. Even if she always had been subconsciously aware of them.

Lisa was quick to grant her wish, getting a bottle of soju, two beers and a bottle of wine for herself from the freshman boys. Sitting by the campfire, they drank in silence. A bit later, Rosé joined them with her guitar and began singing in her soft, soothing voice.

“ _All I knew, this morning when I woke...”_

The crowd broke into a teasing howl but soon enough everyone was swaying to the music, because after all, Taylor Swift was everyone's guilty pleasure. And Jennie swayed too, or rather her vision did. A pleasant, relaxing numbness overcame her mind and body. Four soju shots and a bottle of beer successfully washed away her fears and anxieties.

Just as Jisoo joined to sing Ed Sheeran's part, Lisa appeared in Jennie's hazy vision with an outstretched hand and a tipsy, but dazzling as ever, smile. Jennie chuckled drunkenly. She put aside her bottle and took Lisa's hand.

They danced in a loose embrace like a high school couple on a prom, until Jennie leaned a little closer into Lisa's body. Resting her head against blonde's shoulder, she inhaled the sweet scent of wine that further intoxicated her. And then the song ended, all too soon.

Lisa took a step back, but Jennie tightened the grip on her flannel shirt, not letting her go just yet. A small smile illuminated Lisa's features and she leaned her forehead against Jennie's.

With their faces just inches apart, Jennie felt her heart quicken its pace again. She didn't know how it happened but the next second, her eyes slid shut and Lisa's soft lips met hers. Gentle at first, the kiss soon grew in its intensity. Lisa tugged at Jennie's bottom lip, easily gaining access to her mouth.

Heat threatened to consume Jennie's body when she felt the blonde's hands rest slightly above her hips, thumbs lifting her shirt and stroking her skin lightly.

And as they pulled back, forced by the lack of oxygen, just one word passed between them:

“Tent?”

“Tent.”


	6. Chapter VI

With vacant eyes and a bad aftertaste in her mouth, Jennie was lying on her sleeping bag, trying to remember something, anything, from the last night. But nothing came to her. Almost as if someone had wiped out her memory, leaving behind only a black hole filled with throbbing pain that threatened to split her skull open.

And she wasn't even sure what was worse. The fact that she had sex with Lisa, or the fact that she had absolutely no recollection of it.

She was certain of two things, though. One was that she kissed Lisa and it felt amazing, even in her buzzed state, and the second, that she woke up only in her bra and panties. The conclusion was pretty obvious under such circumstances.

But maybe, it all wouldn't feel so awful and terrifying if she woke up to the sight of the blonde sleeping next to her. Sadly, Lisa's sleeping bag was empty and neatly folded.

Clenching her teeth, Jennie swallowed the tears that clogged her throat. But no matter how helpless she felt right now, she had to somehow fix this mess. She put on her clothes and left the tent to look for Lisa in hopes of saving what remained of their friendship.

The morning was chilly with fog hovering above the grass like thick cobweb. Jennie swept her eyes over the meadow, but she didn't spot the blonde head among the few students who chatted in hushed voices.

“Lisa!” she shouted, not caring that she would wake up everyone.

Someone told her to shut up, but she shouted the name with desperation again.

“Jen, what the hell?” A familiar voice caught her attention and she saw Rosé leaving her tent, yawning.

Jennie ran frantic fingers through her hair, pacing back and forth. “Fuck, Rosie, I screwed up. Like really, majorly fucked up.”

“Wait, hold on.” Rosé grabbed her by the arms, rooting her in place. “Is this about the kiss?”

A mirthless laugh escaped Jennie's lips and she shook her head. “It's much worse than that. I-- we've had sex, and now she's gone.”

“Okay, first, you need to calm down.”

Jennie shut her eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

“Great. Now, I'm sure Lisa didn't just disappear. Maybe she went to the bathroom, or for a walk?”

Nodding absently to her friend's words, Jennie noticed groggy Jisoo leaving the tent.

“What's going on? Where's Lisa?” the girl asked, propping her chin on her girlfriend's shoulder as she back-hugged her.

Rosé was about to answer her when suddenly, Jisoo's eyes widened and she blurted words of disbelief. “What the hell is Lisa doing with Seulgi?”

Jennie spun around so fast she almost lost her balance.

And there it was - an image taken straight from her worst nightmares – Lisa and Seulgi walking side by side, talking and smiling.

Seulgi was first to notice them, a nervous expression clouding her features as she stopped. Her hand landing on Lisa's arm with tenderness that had Jennie's stomach twisted in knots. The two girls exchanged a few words after which Seulgi left towards the hostel.

“Hey guys,” Lisa greeted them casually. “Didn't expect you all to be up so early.”

“What the hell was that just now?” Jisoo demanded, pointing her open palm at Seulgi's retreating figure.

Lisa frowned. “Me taking a walk?”

“I'm not asking--” Jennie stepped in front of Jisoo, cutting off her rant just as her voice rose in its volume. Apparently, Rosé was too shocked to do anything.

“Can we talk?” Jennie asked, her tone grim.

Although she was just as confused as her friends, there were more pressing matters to discuss than Lisa's and Seulgi's sudden reunion.

The blonde snorted a chuckle, shoving hands to the pockets of her over-sized hoodie. “About what?”

“About what happened yesterday,” Jennie muttered, slowly losing her patience over Lisa's nonchalant attitude.

Jisoo and Rosé took her words as their cue to leave.

“Jennie, nothing happened yesterday, okay? We've barely reached the tent when you started to vomit. I guess drinking soju and beer wasn't the best idea,” Lisa said with a shrug.

“Wait, what?” Jennie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You mean that we haven't...”

“Had sex?” Lisa prompted, chuckling. “No, and thank God because drunk sex is awfully messy. Not to mention that it would be extremely awkward, wouldn't it?”

Oddly enough, Lisa's words didn't bring Jennie the relief she'd sought. Just more confusion and questions.

“Look, you took off your clothes after you've vomited, and then you passed out,” Lisa said, anticipating her next question.

A quiet 'oh' fell from Jennie's lips as everything began to make sense. Everything except...

“But we did...” Jennie trailed off, feeling flustered all of a sudden, which was ridiculous. She hadn't felt flustered since high school. “Kiss, we've kissed, right?” she blurted, hands tucked into the back-pockets of her jeans as she tried to act cool.

Meanwhile her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. She was almost certain she was having some sort of seizure.

“Oh, yeah, about that,” Lisa stuttered, her cheeks flaring up and gaze veering to the side. “We can just pretend it never happened. I mean, it's not like it meant anything, right?”

Jennie looked down, biting the inside of her cheek.

What was she thinking really? That Lisa would fall for her after one sloppy, drunk kiss? Pathetic.

“Right...” she muttered dryly.

The word carried an awful sense of finality. There wasn't anything more to add, really, except for asking about Seulgi. But Jennie didn't want to go in that direction yet, afraid of what she might find there.

Lisa, however, still stood. Again, looking at her as though she waited for something. Again, with that disenchanted look of defeat.

“Well then,” she said and inhaled sharply. “I'm going to take a shower.” Her shoulders slumped, and she spun around, walking towards the hostel.

Watching her retreating figure, Jennie stifled a scream of frustration that bubbled inside her. She was pissed and she wasn't even sure at what, or at whom. Lisa? Seulgi?

No.

Most likely, just at herself.

* * *

Jennie's coffee sloshed in her mug, black drops dotting her scrambled eggs.

“Can you sit still for a damn second?” she grumbled, wiping the table with a napkin.

However, the jumpy movement of Jisoo's legs under the table continued. Squeezing the peak of her cap, which was completely rolled up by now, she glared at Lisa and Seulgi who sat three tables away from them.

“I can't look at this,” Jisoo muttered.

Jennie rolled her eyes at the irony.

“I wonder what happened,” Rosé mused while chewing on her food slowly.

Sipping her black, sugarless, coffee, Jennie stole a glance at the two girls. They were acting like best friends, chatting and laughing. A truly bizarre image taken straight out of some alternative reality.

But what bothered Jennie the most was how casual Lisa acted about the whole situation. She told them that she was having breakfast with Seulgi as if sharing meals with your cheating ex, who left you in tears for weeks, was the most natural thing to do.

Jennie heaved a sigh, dropping her fork onto a plate. She lost her appetite and she knew she couldn't blame it on her hangover.

“Okay, I have enough of this.” Jisoo stood up, knocking the table with her knee and almost spilling Jennie's coffee. “I don't know what you've done, but you better fix this mess.” She pointed her cap at the two girls oblivious to the whole commotion and stormed out of the restaurant.

“Jisoo, wait!” Rosé called out and left the table, but before she went to chase her impulsive girlfriend, she turned to Jennie. “Jen, really, just talk to her.”

“But I already did!” Jennie threw her arms in the air.

“Yeah, but not about that.” Rosé directed her stern look at Lisa and Seulgi then back at Jennie and with that, she left.

Sighing, Jennie slouched in her seat.

“May I?”

A familiar, husky voice reached her and she winced. Looking up, she saw Sooyoung with a mug of steaming coffee in her palm. Not waiting for any sort of affirmation, the girl sat down on the chair opposite of Jennie.

“You look pathetic,” she stated, brushing her hair behind her shoulder.

Jennie shook her head amused by the honest comment.

“Then why do you sit with me?”

“Well,” Sooyoung waved her hand flippantly. “For starters, you have talent and good looks. Not as good as mine, but close. That being said, we could be friends.”

“I'm flattered.” Jennie's lips broke into a grin.

Turned out the girl wasn't as prideful and petty as Jennie had imagined her to be. And her boldness was actually quite entertaining and refreshing. Perhaps, she would take her up on that friendship offer, which by the way, didn't sound like an offer at all, more like a statement.

“You should.” Sooyoung smirked over the rim of her mug. “Anyway, what's up with you and the blondie?”

Much to Jennie's dismay, the girl was also awfully observant. Poking her cold scrambled eggs with a fork, Jennie contemplated whether she should confide in her. She wasn't the type to easily open up to strangers but perhaps, an outsider's perceptive was just the thing she needed now. Rosé was too biased, and Jisoo, well, the girl pretty much hated her guts.

“I just...” Jennie said but didn't really know where to begin. Leaning back in her seat, she observed how Lisa listened to Seulgi, completely enraptured like the first time they'd met.

“Have you ever wanted someone so badly that you were afraid to do something about it because it may destroy you both?” Jennie murmured and her eyes flitted to Sooyoung.

“No,” the girl stated, her expression impassive. “Frankly, it all sounds to me like some lame excuse. If I want someone, I just go for them.” She shrugged and took another sip of her coffee.

Jennie blinked before snorting a chuckle. It was that simple, huh?

“Besides, isn't the perspective of losing her to someone else much more terrifying? Especially, to someone who is in a on-and-off relationship with her best friend-slash-ex?” Sooyoung questioned with an arched eyebrow.

So don’t let the fear of losing Lisa stop you from going after her, because one day, you may lose her to someone else, anyway. Rosé's words from the first day rang out in Jennie's mind. Back then she would have never guessed that her friend's prophecy would come true so soon. Much less that it would be thanks to Seulgi, again.

Sooyoung put away her mug, startling Jennie into awareness.

“If you don't go and talk to her right now, I'll personally drag you to her.” She leveled Jennie with a cold gaze. “You have to know that I do not appreciate when my friends mope around. It spoils my mood.”

Sooyoung wasn't joking, that much Jennie knew. But she also figured it out that the least she could do was to find out what caused Lisa's sudden change of heart regarding Seulgi.

Tossing her fork onto her plate, Jennie left the table. She covered the distance between the tables in a few quick strides and approached Lisa.

“Can I talk to you for a second?”

Lisa flinched, staring at Jennie in wide-eyed surprise, while Seulgi didn't even spare her a glance as she checked something on her phone.

“Uhm, yeah sure,” the blonde replied and after a hasty 'excuse me', which Seulgi acknowledged with a nod, she followed Jennie to the exit.

Despite the early hour, the sun was already scorching. They hid from it under the trees, away from the heat and from the prying eyes of gossip-thirsty freshmen students.

“Did something happen?” Lisa asked worriedly.

“No. I mean, maybe, I don't know.” Jennie ran her palm along the length of her forehead as she tired to reorganize her thoughts. “What's up with you and Seulgi?” She finally blurted.

Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, Lisa averted her gaze to the ground. “We've talked and she apologized. I think she deserves a second chance,” she said in a small voice.

Jennie scoffed in disbelief.

“She cheated on you with her best friend. You saw them with your own eyes.” She paused, struggling to keep her voice leveled. Never in her life had she lashed out at Lisa, and this would not be an exception. “Do you really believe that she has changed?”

Lisa lifted her gaze, a small smile drawing on her lips. “Time will tell. You cannot always predict what will happen, Jennie. Sometimes you have to take the risk and hope for the best.”

The simple truth left Jennie in a breathless stupor like a punch to the gut. Seulgi hurt her, broke her almost beyond repair, and yet Lisa was willing to give her another chance.

And here was Jennie with her stupid fear of saying three simple words. To the girl who packed half of the pharmacy just for her sake; who had perfect coordination yet always found a way to tumble into her arms; who chased away her biggest nightmares and left her breathless with her smile.

“Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?” Lisa's voice awoke Jennie into alertness.

She looked at her, into her expectant, hopeful eyes that were on the verge of tears.

Why is she crying?

Before Jennie realized it, she was by Lisa's side wiping the lone tear of her cheek. It felt like being back in high school when she noticed the crying Thai girl for the first time and decided that she should smile instead. Could it be that she loved her for so long?

...hope for the best...

“Yeah, though it's probably long overdue, but... I love you, Lisa.”


	7. Chapter VII

Jennie couldn't stand the silence that followed her confession. It was simply insufferable how Lisa just stood there staring at her in a wide-eyed shock, saying nothing. And for a second or two, Jennie even considered running away and throwing herself off a cliff out of embarrassment. But that would be a tad bit too dramatic. Plus, she hadn't really said everything she wanted.

“I don't know when or how it happened,” she said with a bit of a tremble in her voice. “I guess I'm not the most observant person out there.”

Lisa snorted a chuckle. The reaction caught off guard Jennie but also brought a smile to her lips and gave her the much needed boost of courage.

“All I know is that I never really wanted to be with anyone else other than you. And I didn't want to admit that to myself because it's pretty terrifying. I mean, what if you don't want me?” Jennie muttered, lowering her gaze. “I would much rather have you as a friend than not have you at all.”

She wiped her wet cheek with her palm. And then she was yanked by her t-shirt and felt soft pressure against her lips. Jennie's eyes closed and arms found their way around Lisa's slim waist, pulling her closer and pouring years of unspoken affection into that one lip-brusing kiss.

Slowly pulling away, Lisa leaned her forehead against Jennie's. Somehow there was even more tears in her eyes, but the brilliant smile on her face told Jennie those were the good kind of tears.

“You're such a crybaby,” Jennie teased, earning a light smack on her shoulder that made her giggle.

“Shut up,” Lisa grumbled. “It's your fault.”

Feeling bashful out of a sudden, Jennie shoved hands to the pockets of her jeans and shrugged. “Sorry, I guess?”

“No!” Lisa shook her head, mortified. “Don't be. I'm just surprised and I feel a lot of...stuff.”

“But good stuff, right?” Jennie asked hesitantly.

Lips breaking into a grin, Lisa nodded. “Yeah, definitely good stuff.”

Jennie chuckled, feeling as the last bits of doubt and fear leave her mind.

“For me, it was love at first sight,” Lisa admitted out of a blue.

The confession caught Jennie off guard. And although she knew it wasn't Lisa's intention, her words actually made her feel awful. All those years Lisa loved her and she remained oblivious to that. How could she be so damn stupid?

“I've never told you because I didn't want to, you know, freak you out or something.”

Jennie winced. It hurt to hear those words but that was the truth, unfortunately. Her commitment-allergic self would probably shut Lisa out if the girl confessed to her.

“But Rosie once told me that you just needed time...” Lisa's eyes twinkled with mirth and her lips twitched in a teasing smirk.

“Of course, it had to be Rosé.” Jennie let out a breath of a laugh, shaking her head. “That damn redhead always have to be right, doesn't she?”

“I don't mind it this time, though,” Lisa murmured, biting on her bottom lip.

A pleasant, tingly sensation ran down Jennie's spine and brought heat to her cheeks. Once again Lisa managed to reduce her to a silly high-schooler with a crush. But honestly? She loved every second of that fuzzy, warm feeling that was filling her chest right now.

“Sooo,” Jennie drawled, trying not to grin like an idiot, which was harder than one might have imagined in her current giddy state. “Are we like girlfriends now?”

“Only if you want us to be.”

Jennie nodded no longer able to hold back her grin. “Yeah, I'd like that.”

“Good, 'cause I wouldn't accept any other answer, anyway,” Lisa quipped smugly as she stepped closer to Jennie.

Jennie's eyebrows shot up in amusement. To be honest, she was afraid that the beginnings would be awkward; that they wouldn't know how to progress from friends to lovers and that they would have to take things slow. But Lisa's dark, hungry eyes told a quite different story.

“U-hm, I guess we should get back to Rosé and Jisoo, huh?” Smirking, Jennie watched how Lisa's fingers fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt. The warmth she felt in her chest dribbled further down, pooling in the pit of her belly.

Lisa glanced over her shoulder at the forest behind them then back at Jennie, eyes sparkling with mischief. “I have a better idea,” she said as she tugged at Jennie's t-shirt, pulling her further into the woods.

* * *

As they were approaching their tent, one thing quickly became obvious – Jisoo was pissed. However, Jennie hardly cared and neither did Lisa, seeing how her grin didn't falter in the slightest.

“Where the hell have you been? You've disappeared for two hours without a word,” Jisoo ranted as she stood up from the grass, leaving Rosé's side, and came up to them.

“It was that long, huh?” Jennie mumbled under her breath as she sat down next to the redhead who stopped tuning the guitar and eyed her suspiciously.

“I'm sorry Chichu,” Lisa pouted, trying to placate Jisoo. “We kind of lost the track of time.”

Jisoo's shoulders slumped, but she kept frowning. “What were you doing anyway?”

“Making out,” Rosé stated offhandedly and returned her attention back to the guitar.

Jennie chuckled, seeing how Lisa's cheeks covered with pink hue.

“Wait, what?” Confused, Jisoo looked at Jennie then back at Lisa. “But like for real this time?”

The blonde gave a timid nod, gnawing on her bottom lip.

Jennie found it amusing how Lisa was acting all shy and innocent now, while just minutes ago she had her pinned against a tree, ravaging her lips with needy kisses. And not just her lips...

At the memory, Jennie's palm traveled to her neck massaging a sore spot below her ear. Apparently, Lisa was into biting. Jennie loved it.

She quickly retreated her hand once she realized Rosé was smirking at her.

“So you've finally talked,” the redhead said and plucked the strings of her guitar.

Nodding, Jennie laughed when Lisa waved her hand in front of Jisoo's eyes. The older girl seemed to experience some kind of mental breakdown after the blonde admitted that she indeed dated Jennie now. And here she thought it was impossible to immobilize Kim Jisoo, seems like she was wrong after all.

“Yeah, we've talked...”

“And did so much more, hm?” Rosé nudged her shoulder.

Jennie nudged her back, harder.

Meanwhile, Lisa gave up her efforts to bring Jisoo back from the dead and went to sit next to Jennie. Ironically, that was what triggered Jisoo's awakening and the girl joined them on the grass as well.

“Remember what you've promised me,” she said, glaring at Jennie.

“No worries, I remember,” Jennie replied, plucking a small leaf out of Lisa's hair.

“What have you promised?” The blonde narrowed her brows in confusion.

But neither Jennie nor Jisoo answered her as they exchanged knowing smiles.

“Guys, I think we should start packing,” Rosé said and stood up from the ground. “I don't want to drive at night.”

* * *

“You okay?” Jennie asked Lisa as they knelt on the ground and began folding their tent.

The blonde became awfully quiet once they began packing.

“Yeah, it's just a shame we have to leave already.” Lisa pouted sadly.

Jennie smirked. For the first time in weeks, she knew exactly what the girl had in mind.

“You know, you can stay at my place tonight, if you want. I'm sure my mom won't mind,” she suggested casually.

“Really?” Lisa beamed and threw her arms around Jennie's neck, tumbling with her to the ground.

Groaning in pain, Jennie smiled nonetheless. Her fears of them acting awkward around each other seemed now utterly ridiculous. Lisa got it all covered by simply remaining her bubbly, energetic self.

“Gee, get a room you two.”

Hearing the familiar blase voice, Jennie looked up and saw an upside-down image of Sooyoung.

“Oh, hey,” she greeted awkwardly and with Lisa's help, stood up from the ground.

Sneaking her arm around Jennie's waist, the blonde clung close to her side. Such display of possessiveness was a novelty to Jennie. But she would lie if she said she didn't enjoy it. It felt nice to know that someone cared. That for once, someone wanted her to stay.

“Relax Blondie, I'm not going to steal her from you,” Sooyoung said, smirking lightly. “I reckon the conversation went well for you two.”

“Yeah, it did. Better than expected actually...” Jennie trailed off, knowing that Sooyoung would figure out the details.

“Great,” the brunette stated, not at all impressed. “Now, I don't want to rain on your little love parade, but Seulgi asked me about you...”

“Ugh...” Lisa winced.

“See, I actually had a similar reaction.”

“You two know each other?”

“We have mutual friends,” Sooyoung answered, checking her perfectly manicured nails. “Anyhow, she asked me to tell you that she waits at the hostel in case you would like to talk.”

“You don't have to. You don't own her any explanation after what she'd done to you,” Jennie assured as she saw Lisa's face cloud with worry.

“I kind of do,” Lisa said with a weak smile.

Sooyoung rolled her eyes. “Whatever, my job is done here. See you at the campus,” she said and left towards her friends who already waited for her with their packed bags.

Jennie gave her a small wave and looked back at Lisa. “Are you sure you want to talk to her?”

The blonde nodded. “I don't want any misunderstandings between us.”

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to change her mind, Jennie let out a sigh. “I guess you're right,” she admitted. “Go and talk to her and I'll finish packing up.”

“Okay,” Lisa said and gave her a small peck on the cheek.

The sweet gesture got Jennie cringing but there was an obvious smile behind that grimace. And Lisa must have noticed it because she walked away snickering under her breath.

* * *

Excluding instances of sudden encounters with snakes and disappearing friends at the break of dawn, Jennie wasn't one to panic easily. Now, however, she was almost certain that it was indeed panic that turned her into a restless mess complete with cracking knuckles and a bouncing knee.

“It's almost an hour,” she muttered, sitting on a stump next to Rosé, who was lying on the ground, head resting against her backpack. Next to her, Jisoo was enjoying her lunch, munching on an apple.

Lisa was still at the hostel.

“Chill mate,” the redhead droned from under Jisoo's cap which served as her shield against the sun. “I'm sure she will be back soon.”

“Maybe I should go there.” Jennie jumped to her feet, but Rosé caught her by the ankle.

“Have some faith in her.”

After a moment of consideration, Jennie plopped back onto the stump. “I'm not jealous,” she mumbled.

“I know,” Rosé assured.

“It's just...” Jennie bit the inside of her cheek. “What if it all happened too fast?”

Rosé lifted the cap, looking at her in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? You've waited three years to confess. You call this fast?”

“Wait, so you've been in love with her for three years already?” Jisoo's expression was equally incredulous as she mumbled around the apple in her mouth.

Jennie groaned. It all sounded awfully pathetic. But what if Lisa had her doubts? Or worse, still had some feelings towards Seulgi?

“She never loved her in the first place,” Rosé said as if reading her mind and put the cap back onto her face. “She tried to but she couldn't because she loved you. And once she realized that no one and nothing would change that, it broke her harder than the sight of Seulgi cheating on her with Joohyun.”

“Man... that's sad...” Jisoo muttered, staring at the apple's core as if utterly devastated over its finished state.

“Fuck...” Jennie breathed, the guilt washing over her senses, making her feel sick.

“Don't feel bad, mate. You just weren't ready. But now that you are, don't hold back.”

Gazing at her girlfriend dreamily, Jisoo sighed. “You're so smart.”

Rosé chuckled. “I know hon, I know.”

“And humble...” Jennie intoned sarcastically, but with a smile nonetheless.

Because Rosé was right and there was no point in brooding over her past cluelessness and cowardice. Instead, she should focus on making up for those lost three years.

Her heart skipped a beat when she finally saw Lisa sauntering down the meadow to her. Their eyes met and the faint smirk on the blonde's full lips left Jennie a bit breathless. She was so damn eager to taste them again.

“Hey, Rosie,” she said and the redhead lifted the cap, glancing at her with curiosity.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks,” she curtly stated, looking at Lisa who stopped before her.

Rosé grinned. “You're welcome,” she said, standing up from the ground.

“What you've been talking about?” Lisa asked, brushing a stray lock behind Jennie's ear.

“Secret,” Jennie quipped and for once resisted Lisa's adorable pout. “How was the conversation?”

“It was...” Lisa lowered her pensive gaze, before meeting Jennie's expectant eyes with a smile. “Honest.”

Jennie nodded, not really getting what that meant.

Lisa let out a chuckle. “We've just found it ironic that we've both tried to force ourselves to love each other while knowing that it would never work. From the beginning, she knew I loved you. But she's happy for me and I wished her luck as well.”

“I really am the least observant person on this entire planet, huh?” Jennie grumbled in defeat.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you that I still love you?” Lisa asked, sporting a cheeky grin.

Rolling her eyes over the excessive cheesiness, Jennie mumbled quietly, “Maybe...”

“I love you Kim Jennie,” the blonde murmured against her lips and kissed her.

It was a painfully slow kiss that left Jennie with a very palpable craving for more. And when Lisa pulled away, Jennie still had her eyes closed, relishing the sweet feeling, until she heard her girlfriend whisper into her ear:

“The last one at the bottom is a dead fish.”

Jennie's eyes snapped open, only to be met by a sight of Lisa running away, the huge backpack bouncing up and down on her lithe shoulders.

“Hey, w-hat, wait!” Jennie shouted and picked up her own bag. “That's not fair!”

The self-proclaimed master of mountain treks once told her that the descent from the mountain could be sometimes much harder than the ascent. But when Jennie chased that master down the hill, knowing that she finally could call her her girlfriend, she had to beg to differ.

Also, finally, she understood that she was neither a sadist nor a masochist - she was simply in love...

 

 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :D And see you in the next story c;


End file.
